Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) was 36 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Age of electoral democracy in Bulgaria, 1990–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
In 2025, age of electoral democracy in Bulgaria stood at 36 years. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 38.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of electoral democracy in Bulgaria peaked at 36 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1990.
That places Bulgaria 63rd out of 144 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1 years | — |
| 1991 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1992 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1993 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1994 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1995 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1996 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1997 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1998 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1999 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 2002 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 2005 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 2006 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 2012 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 2014 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 36 years | +2.9% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 36 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 57 years, 63% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 36 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 36 years, 1.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of electoral democracy (Lexical Index) in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1992 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1993 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.5 years | 1 years | 10 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.5 years | 11 years | 20 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.5 years | 21 years | 30 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.5 years | 31 years | 36 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 60 Chile 37 years compare
- 60 Paraguay 37 years compare
- 60 Poland 37 years compare
- 63 Croatia 36 years compare
- 63 Germany 36 years compare
- 63 Hungary 36 years compare
- 63 Mongolia 36 years compare
- 63 Namibia 36 years compare
- 63 North Macedonia 36 years compare
- 63 Panama 36 years compare
- 63 Samoa 36 years compare
- 63 Slovenia 36 years compare
More social development data for Bulgaria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 105,596 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 533 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0164 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of electoral democracy in Bulgaria?
- Age of electoral democracy in Bulgaria was 36 years in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of electoral democracy recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 36 years in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of electoral democracy recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1990.
- How does Bulgaria rank for age of electoral democracy?
- Bulgaria ranks 63rd out of 144 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of electoral democracy rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of electoral democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.